Challenge: Reach out to all of your family members to make sure they are OK.

I know most of you are already doing this, so it may not be too much of a challenge, but for those who have estranged family members, who live far away, would appreciate a call. Promise.

My stepmom is in Mexico. I used Google Translator, reached out on Facebook messenger, and she was so glad to hear from me.

Here’s the thing. I would hate to lose any of my family members without having a chance to touch base with them. There are so many stories in the papers, blogs, and books that highlight how horrible it is to lose someone and miss the opportunity to say you care for them. I hope this doesn’t happen to you. Take a minute and reach out. It doesn’t take long, it’ll prevent you from worrying, and the other person will feel great.

Do you have a good friend or loved one that is far away? Do you miss them? Do you love them? Write them a letter. Even if you do not mail it, they will receive what you are sending. Simply open up your favorite word processing app and write them a letter. If you want them to receive your words, mail it to them or email it to them. I started this practice last year with my wife. We talk on the phone, I visit, and we do video chats, but the letters are a great way to stay in touch.

My wife is a special education teacher in Phoenix, AZ. I had to come home to help out with my Dad who is suffering from Dementia. I could not ask my wife to give up her career, so we decided she should stay in Phoenix and keep doing what she’s doing. We also had to consider my stepdaughters. They are all out on their own, but they need their Mama and it wouldn’t be fair to pull Mom out of the picture.

So, I send my wife a letter every month, expressing my love, my appreciation, my gratitude for her being in my life. Yeah, she’s far away, but the letters, calls, and video chats make it like she’s right here.

Just because you are not in the same home or locale, doesn’t mean you can’t stay close. Try this out for yourself. You’ll be amazed with the results.

I am grateful for my wife. She is beautiful, hard-working, and a great friend. I got the idea in reading memoirs of WWII veterans whose only contact with their wives were the letters they sent to them. This is the idea I got and decided to run with it. My wife loves them.

I take an entire month to write my wife. I add a little to the letters each day as thoughts come to mind or when something happens here that she’d be interested in. Then I edit and rewrite as necessary in the last week. It works. We both feel like we are with one another all the time and my letters are a big part of that.

Well, that’s it for this week. Thank you to all the new followers this week. I also appreciate the comments you’ve posted. I can never get enough comments. Have a great Thursday!